SA: Federal politician up a greasy pole for charity

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-1999
SA: Federal politician up a greasy pole for charity

ADELAIDE, Dec 26 AAP - South Australians were today urged to help keep a range of politicians
up the proverbial greasy pole for charity.

Federal parliamentarian Chris Gallus was among guests who clambered up a pole to help
launch Polesitting 2000.

Ms Gallus, the member for the South Australian seat of Hindmarsh, perched with her
dog Sam atop a 10-metre pole at west suburban Glenelg beach for more than an hour.

The 18-day charity fundraiser, from tomorrow until January 13, will involve about 160
people sitting in tiny wooden huts on top of 10 poles for up to 24 hours each.

Ms Gallus will resume her sitting duties on Sunday, January 9 after attending the annual
Blessing of the Waters festival.

She has pledged to sit on the pole for as long as donors can afford to keep her there.

"If Chris Gallus says she wants people to donate $5, $10 or $20 an hour to keep her
up there, that's what it will take to keep the pollie up the pole," Polesitting 2000 spokesman
John Murch said.

"Politicians from all parties will take part in the New Year, but the luckiest polesitters
will be those up there on New Year's Eve.

"From way up there they'll be able to see whether the Y2K bug puts half the lights
out around Adelaide."

Mr Murch said Polesitting 2000 organisers Mission SA hoped to raise at least $80,000
for South Australia's homeless.

AAP tj/rds

KEYWORD: POLE

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